End connector

• US 5,657,515 A
• Filed: 07/16/1996
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hirsch Speidel, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Textron Inc
• Inventors: Bert, Stephen F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Application Number:
  US08/680,778
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 24/265 WS, 24/265 B, 59/79.1
• US Class Current: 24/265.0WS
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/14 characterised by the way of fastening to a wrist-watch or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4718 Watch pintle connected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4782 Watch strap

Abstract

An end connector for an expansible watch band has a plastic insert sandwiched between metallic bottom and top plates. The plastic insert has forwardly projecting mutually spaced lugs enclosed by preformed mutually spaced bottom and top flanges on the bottom and top plates.

Claims

1. A connector for joining an end of an expansible watch band to a watch case, the end of said watch band terminating in top and bottom end links interconnected by a pair of mutually spaced spring-biased staples, the watch case having first lugs separated by first sockets, with aligned first apertures extending through said first lugs, said connector comprising:

a plastic filler piece having second lugs separated by second sockets, with aligned second apertures extending through said second lugs;

a metal bottom plate underlying said plastic filler piece, said bottom plate having a front end and a rear end, the front end of said bottom plate having spaced bottom flanges aligned with and configured to underlie and partially surround said second lugs, the rear end of said bottom plate being configured and dimensioned to be received between said top and bottom end links;

a metal top plate overlying said plastic filler piece, said top plate having a front end and a rear end, the front end of said top plate having mutually spaced top flanges aligned and cooperating with said bottom flanges to enclose said second lugs therebetween, the rear end of said top plate being configured and dimensioned to overlie the rear end of said bottom plate and the top end link of said watch band;

means for interconnecting said top and bottom plates to capture said plastic filler piece and the top end link of said watchband therebetween, said first and second lugs being adapted to be received respectively in said second and first sockets with said first and second apertures in mutual alignment; and

a metallic pin inserted through said first and second aperature to establish a pivotal connection between said watch case and said end connector.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second lugs are particularly curved in cross section, and wherein said top and bottom flanges have partially curved configurations.

3. The connector as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said top flanges partially overlap said bottom flanges.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting said top and bottom plates comprises deformable tabs on said top plate, said tabs being bendable into overlapping mechanical interengagement with said bottom plate.

5. The connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second lugs are arranged at a front end of said filler piece, and wherein said filler piece is provided with a planar rear end arranged in parallel relationship with the top link of said watch band.

6. The connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end of said bottom plate is provided with upturned locking flanges adapted to coact in mechanical interengagement with one of the top and bottom end links of said watchband.

7. The connector as claimed in claim 6 wherein said locking flanges taper rearwardly to facilitate insertion of the rear end of said bottom plate between said end links.